EOS 200D for Beginners: How to Use Creative Auto Mode for Further Creative Expression

If you are new to DSLR cameras, the Creative Auto mode on the EOS 200D provides an easy way to achieve photos with vivid colours and lovely background blurs. Here are examples of what the mode can do. We have also provided the settings used so that you can try to replicate them on your own! (Photos & text by: Sayaka Suzuki)

Creative Auto — a mode that helps you achieve images the way you envision

When you have mastered Scene Intelligent Auto and the Special Scene modes, you can start thinking about "expression", or the kind of image you want to achieve. DSLR cameras offer a ton of shooting features that let you change how your pictures look, and as you get more familiar with your camera, it can be quite fun to play around with the semi-automatic modes such as the Program AE (P), Aperture-priority (Av), or Shutter-priority (Tv) modes, which let you control settings such as white balance, aperture and shutter speed. But if you feel you are still not quite ready for them, the Creative Auto mode on the EOS 200D offers you an easy way to take creative control without worrying about such settings. All you need to do is to select one of the ‘Ambience’ settings.

Scene 1: A child's room bathed in the warm light of the afternoon

The toys look as if they are waiting for a child to come and play with them. We chose to render the picture in warm colour tones to capture this happy moment.

The calmness of warm colours

The light passing through the yellow curtains bathed the whole room in yellow. To best portray this colour, we use the 'Warm' setting. There were many round, retro wooden toys giving off a soft, cosy atmosphere, so we decided to emphasize that up by using an orange hue to achieve a nostalgic finish.

When your subject and settings involve extreme colours, you are more likely to achieve the image that you envision if you highlight the outstanding features of the location. Since it takes time to set up your camera, the light conditions will have changed by then, so use your instinct to determine the ambience setting to use. Here, we set the effect to 'Low' so that the orange colour does not come out too strong.

Scene 2: Vividly capture a child full of energy

This shot was taken on a cloudy day, where the light entering the house was weak. The child was engrossed in play. Here, we used ‘Creative Auto – Vivid’ to create an image that featured bright, candy colours while conveying that it was taken indoors.

Adding some variety into your images with vivid colours

The ambience of the room was dark with reduced saturation, but we wanted to achieve a bright, vivid image that matched the energy of the child. We therefore set the ambience to 'Vivid'. To further increase the vividness of the colours in the image, we placed a transparent balloon in the foreground and defocused it. This is the source of the rainbow-coloured accent to the left of the image.

The 'Vivid' mode makes colours appear bright and vivid, which is especially useful for capturing cute photos even when lighting conditions are not ideal. After all, those picture-perfect moments do not necessarily occur in the daytime!

We set 'Built-in flash off' for this image, as the strong light might ruin the softness of the image otherwise.

Possible settings in Creative Auto

The possible settings in Creative Auto are explained below.

●Finishing

Select the desired 'Ambience' according to the colour tone, brightness, etc., that you want to convey in your image. There are 9 types of Ambience settings available: Ambience: Standard/ Vivid/ Soft/ Warm/ Intense/ Cool/ Brighter/ Darker/ Monochrome. After you select the ambience, select 1 of the 3 effect levels: 'Low', 'Standard', or 'Strong'.

●Background blur

Depending on the lens you are using, you can use the 3 or 5 levels of background blur to adjust the degree of blurring.

OFF

Low

Standard

Strong

●Changing the drive mode

Even in Creative Auto mode, you can still use continuous shooting and the self-timer functions. This helps you capture moving objects as well as self-portraits.

●Using the built-in flash

You can enable or disable the built-in flash. You can easily disable the flash without a fuss when you are shooting in locations where use of the flash is prohibited.

Configuring the Creative Auto mode settings

1. Set the Mode Dial to 'CA' (Creative Auto).

2. Tap 'OK'.

3. Press the Quick Control button and tap 'Ambience'.

4. Tap the ambience setting you want to use and press 'SET'.

5. Tap Effect and select from 'Low'/ 'Standard'/ 'Strong'.

6. Tap 'Background Blur', and select from 3 or 5 levels for the degree of blur.

A monthly magazine that believes that enjoyment of photography will increase the more one learns about camera functions. It delivers news on the latest cameras and features and regularly introduces various photography techniques.
Published by Impress Corporation

Sayaka Suzuki

After graduating from the Department of Design in the Tokyo University of Art and Design, Suzuki started work at a video production company. She also apprenticed under the producer Tan Hakata. After learning about video production and editing, she was an apprentice to the photographer Shin Yamagishi, and then went independent in February 2012. Currently, besides photo-magazines, she has expanded her range of activities to include mainly CD jackets, advertising photos, and video photography, etc.

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